


on someone like you

by Rehearsal_Dweller



Series: Love at First Sight's for Suckers [3]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Attempted Sexual Assault, F/F, genderswap AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-02-23 08:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23808355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rehearsal_Dweller/pseuds/Rehearsal_Dweller
Summary: “She’s hurt,” Race says, and Davey realizes that she’d been so focused on Jack that she hadn’t taken in who was with her. Race is supporting Jack, with her arm slung around his shoulder and his wrapped tightly around her waist. “We were closer to here than the house, can we come in?”
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, Jack Kelly & Katherine Plumber Pulitzer, Racetrack Higgins & David Jacobs, Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly
Series: Love at First Sight's for Suckers [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714258
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	on someone like you

**Author's Note:**

> Alright team, this one's a little heavy. I'm calling it an angst sandwich - the middle pulls darker, but the opening and closing are happier. If you need/want to skip this one I totally understand and I hope you'll find your way back for the next one :)
> 
> TW for an attempted rape that happens offscreen, but is discussed by the characters afterward. The girls also get outed not really by choice, but they're safe.

Jack has been taking Davey out properly for a few weeks now. It’s a funny thing, being able to walk through the front door and walk out with her sweetheart on her arm, but Jack can’t get enough of it. Things are still a little off-balance – when they’re working or hanging out during the day they feel most like themselves but have to be all the more careful, when they’re out on dates they can be openly affectionate but they wear false personalities like ill-fitting clothes and Jack has to call Davey _Dinah_ or they risk getting caught out. So it isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s so much more than Jack ever dared to hope for.

They’re meeting their friends for dinner tonight, nothing fancy by any means but bound to be fun all the same. Les is actually with them already, having been left in the care of Albert and Race when Davey went home to change.

“Dinah!” Katherine calls as they approach, alerting the rest of the gathered newsies to Davey and Jack’s presence. “I barely recognized you!”

There’s a bit of uproar as the boys take in Davey’s appearance. Their whole crew _knows_ , of course, they’ve known since Davey took the stage at the rally, but it’s another thing entirely to see your friend look like an entirely different person. Davey’s flushed bright pink, and she’s shrinking behind Jack a little – a tactic that will get her nowhere, since she has about four inches of height on her sweetheart.

Race pushes forward, catching Davey by one of her hands and pulling her toward the group. His voice is low, just loud enough for Davey and Jack to hear. “C’mon, Daves, it’s still just us.”

“Just roll with it, doll!” Crutchie calls. He didn’t get up when Davey and Jack arrived, and he kicks the chair next to him out from the table. “They’re all just amazed Jackie caught a gal as pretty as you!”

Davey laughs at that, and Jack sees some of the tension in her shoulders melt away. Good, the last thing Jack wants is for Davey to feel uncomfortable around their friends.

“You two are cute,” Katherine says, coming up next to Jack. Jack, who’s watching Davey chat animatedly with Crutchie and Les, jumps slightly at the sound of her voice.

“Thanks,” Jack says, still watching Davey with a soft smile on her face.

Katherine elbows Jack. “She _is_ awfully pretty, isn’t she?”

“Dinah don’t need a skirt for that,” says Jack. She turns to look at Katherine, who’s grinning at her. “But lord above, did she take my breath away first time I saw’er like this.” She takes her cap off, sweeping a hand through her hair. “S’too bad she kinda hates it.”

“I can understand that,” says Katherine. “Still, it seems like it’s worth it, if the two of you are able to be together.”

Jack’s eyes drift back to Davey. She looks back over her shoulder, meeting Jack’s gaze with a bright smile. “Yeah, it’s worth it.”

\--

Davey wakes up abruptly, jerking involuntarily into a sitting position. Sarah rolls over next to her, but doesn’t wake up. It can’t be _that_ late, she feels like she’s barely slept.

She isn’t sure what woke her until it happens again – a sharp clatter at the window. Davey slips out of bed, moving carefully toward it. There are two shadowy figures on the fire escape outside.

“Jack!” she whispers when she recognizes who it is. She opens the window as quietly as possible, but Jack doesn’t move to come in.

“She’s hurt,” Race says, and Davey realizes that she’d been so focused on Jack that she hadn’t taken in who was with her. Race is supporting Jack, with her arm slung around his shoulder and his wrapped tightly around her waist. “We were closer to here than the house, can we come in?”

“Yeah,” says Davey, “of course. Do you need help?”

“M’fine,” Jack says, but the sharp intake of breath as Race helps her through the window goes a long way toward disputing her words. As soon as they’re in reach, Davey helps support Jack’s other side.

She gets the other two newsies settled into a relatively comfortable position on the floor, then shuts the window behind them. She kneels down in front of her friends, taking a good look at them.

“Oh, Jack,” she breathes.

Jack’s skin is a patchwork of cuts and rapidly forming bruises, and her clothes are a mess. She looks up and smiles, but it’s more of a grimace. “Hey, Davey.”

“Who did this to you?” Davey says, but she’s looking at Race. “Racer, fuck –“

“Oscar Delancey,” Race answers, chewing on his lower lip. “The Delanceys _know_ , Daves.”

Davey can’t help the sharp breath she takes, eyes sliding across Jack again. “You think he –“

“I think he was planning to,” says Race. His voice is shaky. “I came lookin’ when she didn’t make it back and pulled him offa her, but – not before he beat her half to hell first, though. I shouldn’ta let’er walk you home alone so late –“

“Race,” Jack says, pulling on his sleeve. She’s clearly dazed, but her eyes are laser focused on Race. “I’ve walked Davey home plenty’a times just fine. You couldn’t’a known.” She pats his arm clumsily. “You found me. S’okay. Day can help us, ‘ey Davey?”

“Yeah, ‘course I can help you,” says Davey. “I’m gonna go get some supplies from the other room, see if we can get’cha bandaged up, okay?”

She gets up, quickly leaving the room and gathering up a few things she might need. She has to creep quietly through the kitchen/living room, especially near Les’s bed, but she makes it back without waking anyone. She drops back to her knees in front of Jack, crawling close to her between Jack’s splayed legs.

“Jackie, love, how’re you feelin’?” she says quietly. She’s brought a few rags and a small bowl of water, and she uses one of them to dab at some blood running down Jack’s cheek from a wound above her eye.

“I’ve been better,” Jack admits.

“Anything pressing I should be worrying about?” asks Davey. “Anything feel broken or are you just bruised?”

“Just bruised, I think,” says Jack. “Ribs’ve seen better days, I’m sure, but I’ve broken’em before and this don’t feel as bad.”

“ _Shit_ , Jackie, your –“ Race says, waving vaguely around his own chest. “Can you breathe a’right?”

“Yeah, s’fine,” says Jack. She shifts slightly. “Fuck, might’a been better if I _did_ wear a corset. Oscar wouldn’ta been able to bruise me up so bad.”

Davey laughs despite herself at that. “Yeah, maybe. Bones could’a been somethin’ like armor.”

“Armor,” echoes Jack. She tries to scoot back and sit a little more upright, but she stops abruptly with a sharp breath. “Hurts, Day.”

“No kidding,” Race says quietly. He reaches for one of her hands, holding tightly to her fingers.

“Jackie, I know you don’t think they’re broken, but I want to get a look at your ribs,” says Davey. “Is it okay if I open your shirt a little?”

Jack nods. Davey’s stomach turns as she realizes that the first few buttons of Jack’s shirt have been ripped off, and it’s hanging partially open already. She’s just started fumbling with the remaining buttons, her hands shaking, when –

“Davey?” Sarah says sleepily. “S’goin’ on?”

“Shit, right,” says Davey. She moves back across the room to the bed. “Sar, sorry, did I wake you?”

“S’okay,” replies Sarah. “What –“

“Jack’s here,” Davey says, dropping her voice a little more. “With our friend Race; Racer, say hi.”

“Hiya Sarah,” Race says, also quiet. “Sorry for wakin’ ya, but Jackie’s in some rough shape.”

Sarah is clearly waking up more and more as the conversation goes on, her eyes scanning Davey’s worried face and moving to take in the two teenagers sprawled under their window. She sits up, and when Davey goes back to her friends, Sarah follows.

“Jack,” says Sarah, stunned.

“How’s it goin’, Sar?” Jack replies, slightly slurred.

“What happened to _you_?” Sarah asks.

“Got jumped walkin’ Davey home,” Race supplies. His grip on Jack’s hand briefly tightens, but he releases when she winces.

Sarah’s eyes are on Jack’s open shirt. Her undershirt is torn, ripped open down the front. Bruises are coming up already, but Davey knows that’s not what’s caught Sarah’s eye. Jack doesn’t wear a corset, because even if she could afford one the last thing she needs when she’s posing as a boy is to accentuate her figure, and instead she usually wraps her chest in a length of tattered cloth, just tightly enough to keep her breasts contained and not draw attention. It’s the same trick Davey uses when she’s David – in fact, Jack’s the one who showed her how to do it without restricting her breathing too much.

Only it’s come loose, and a set of fingernail scratches in Jack’s skin suggest it was pulled at, _clawed at_ , to untie it.

“I’m gonna fucking _murder_ him,” Race growls. He actually makes to stand up, but Jack’s hand comes back up to his arm and he falls still.

“M’o _kay_ , Racer,” she says. “He didn’t – I ain’t hurt any worse than I’ve been hurt before.”

The two newsies stay just long enough to get Jack cleaned up and bandaged up. Jack leaves in Race’s shirt, with her ruined one being left with Davey and Sarah to try to repair.

Davey is climbing shakily back into bed an hour later, when Sarah puts a hand on her shoulder.

“Davey,” she says, tone quiet and careful. “Did you – did you know that Jack’s –“

“I knew,” Davey admits. “She told me when she found out about me.”

“She – Davey, _Davey_ ,” Sarah says, and she looks on the verge of tears and Davey doesn’t know _why_.

“I know it’s not really usual,” Davey says self consciously. “But Sarah, I love her. I really do, and I – you can’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t,” says Sarah. “I’ll protect you. Davey – Dinah –“ She sits heavily on the bed. “I’m the same way.”

_Oh_. That certainly explains why the look on Sarah’s face was so hard to identify – it isn’t disgust or horror, it’s _relief_. Davey pulls her sister into a tight hug, and when they wake up in the morning far too few hours later they’re still holding tight to each other.

\--

Race flags Davey down as soon as she and Les arrive at distribution the next morning. “Hey, Daves!”

“Racer!” Davey replies, waving amicably as they approach him, trying to keep her voice even. “How’s it goin’?”

“Alright, alright,” Race says. He looks tired, and Davey is suddenly aware that she probably does, too. “Look, Jack ain’t feelin’ up to –“

“Selling?” Davey guesses, glancing around. Jack doesn’t seem to be in the crowd.

“Nah, just buyin’ his papes,” Race says. He puts a hand on Davey’s upper arm, squeezing it gently. “Said you’d know where to meet’im. Mind carryin’ a few extra out to ‘im?”

“Yeah,” says Davey. “Les can help, too, can’cha bud?”

“Why don’t Jack wanna buy his own papers?” Les asks. Race winces.

“Jack’s not feelin’ too good,” he says. “On account of an encounter with one’a the Delanceys last night.”

Les sucks in a sharp breath. Even if they didn’t know what they know, both of the Delancey brothers hate Jack and it’s not hard to guess the state they’d leave her in, even if Les is too young to understand the depth of it. “That’s why you were up last night.”

“What?” says Davey.

“I heard you movin’ around the kitchen,” Les replies, shrugging. “Jack came to you for help, didn’t he?”

Davey nods. “Sorry for waking you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Les says, with a firmness and certainty only a ten-year-old can achieve. “Jack’s more important. Now, we gonna sell papes today, or what?”

Davey and Race both laugh at that, and they let the smaller boy lead them through the gate and into line. Race tenses at Davey’s side when his eyes land on Oscar Delancey. Davey can’t deny that a wave of tension washes over her, as well, although it’s dampened somewhat by satisfaction when she sees his newly black eye.

“Hey, Oscar!” Romeo taunts as he approaches. “What happened to your face?”

“None’a your business,” Oscar growls back. He even makes a move forward, although his brother stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

One of the other boys whistles. Albert crows, “Must’a been a dame, if he’s that embarrassed about it. Bad date last night, Oscar?”

“Where’s ya pal Kelly, speakin’a _dames_?” Morris says, his hand still tight on Oscar’s shoulder.

“Meetin’ with Spot Conlon on union business,” Davey says, raising her voice to be heard over the crowd, which has erupted in jeering and defensive _Jack ain’t a dame_ s. “Gotta maintain relationships with the rest’a the city in case anybody decides to step outta line again.”

Race’s eyes widen at the quick lie, surprised. It works, much to Davey’s own surprise, and both of the Delanceys go ever so slightly pale. The line keeps moving, and it doesn’t take long for the Jacobses and Race to be at the front. Davey manages to keep her mouth shut, although she glares at both of the Delanceys, but Race –

“Next time that bitch won’t have her little knight in shining armor to swoop in and save her,” Oscar taunts, eyeing Race’s own bruises as he hands over his papers.

Instead of taking his papers, Race grabs Oscar’s wrist and holds it tight enough to bruise. “You ever lay another fucking _finger_ on him, and you’re dead. I’ll see to it personally.”

Oscar wrenches his arm out of Race’s grasp. “I’d like to see you try.”

Race doesn’t respond, instead picking up his papers and turning on his heel. Davey’s with him, and they don’t stop walking until they’re a few blocks away.

“I’m not letting you two outta my sight today,” Race says, breathing heavily. “Fuck, Daves, he’s –“

“Calm down, Racer, breathe,” says Davey. “Jack will be fine. It’s daylight, and he’ll be on his guard. I’ll be with him. The only thing you being nearby will do is hurt our sales. Got me?”

“I got you,” says Race. He seems to be coming back to himself a little. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, you care,” replies Davey. “And last night was scary and Oscar Delancey is a fucking dick.”

Race lets out a startled laugh and Les squawks in surprise.

“No kidding,” says Race. “Hey, is Jack taking Dinah out tonight?”

Davey laughs. The agreed upon language for referring to Davey and Jack’s courtship is to refer to _Dinah_ like she’s Davey’s sister rather than her own self, and it’s far from the first time someone’s addressed her like this, but it never stops feeling slightly odd. “I don’t think they have plans. He’ll probably want to see her, though.”

“I bet he will,” says Race. “Look, for now I’m gonna leave you two be to sell –“

“There are three of us,” Les interrupts.

“Right, a’course,” Race says, smiling. “Lessy’ll look out for you, what was I thinking.”

“I _know_ you’re just teasing,” says Les, his arms crossed.

Davey snags Les’s hat and Race ruffles his hair. “I am _not_. I need somebody to keep an eye on them, your brother and Jackie are troublemakers.” Race looks back up at Davey, chewing on his lip. “I ain’t lettin’ him walk alone.”

“I’ll tell my parents to expect you for dinner,” says Davey.

\--

“Di, your boy is here!” Sarah calls.

“One of these days,” Davey says, coming out of the bedroom fixing her skirt which she’d somehow put on sideways, “I’m going to be the one to answer the door when Jack gets here.”

“It has never happened before and it _will_ never happen,” replies Sarah, laughing. “You are way too much of a disaster for that.”

“Don’t sweat it, Dinah darlin’,” says Jack, grinning, “you know I’ll never say no to seein’ your sister.”

“Lord, Jack, we ain’t even been here two minutes and you’s already flirtin’ with the wrong gal,” Race says. He pushes past Jack into the apartment, walking straight to Davey. “Don’t know why you put up with him, Di.”

“He’s good looking,” Davey replies. She laughs at the splutter that draws from Jack. Quietly, she adds, “Thanks for coming, Racer. I’m sure Jack pitched a fit, but I feel better having someone with him.”

“’Course, doll,” says Race, nodding.

Jack comes up next to Race, greeting Dinah with a swift kiss on the cheek. “Apologies about the chaperone. Kid thinks he knows what’s best for me better than I do.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jackie, I knew he was coming,” Davey replies. She leads the boys to the table – already set for seven. It’s a little tight around their small dinner table but more than worth it. “Mama, Papa, this is our friend Race.”

“Thanks for havin’ me, Mr and Mrs Jacobs,” Race says politely, even taking his hat off and stuffing it into his back pocket.

“Of course! We’re happy to have you, especially since you’re looking out for our Jack.” Mama sweeps over and pulls Jack into a hug. “Oh, sweetheart, Dinah told us you were hurt, but –“

“I’m fine, Esther, promise,” Jack says, ducking away with pink cheeks. “Di and Racer are just fussin’.”

“That cut above your eye doesn’t look fine,” Papa says, his tone slightly scolding. “There’s no shame in being cared for, Jack.”

Later, after dinner, Davey and Jack sit on the couch together watching Race and Les roughhouse on the floor. Mama and Papa are talking while they fold laundry; Sarah sits on the other side of the couch with a book. (Sarah keeps stealing little glances at Jack and Davey, and there’s something wistful and envious in her eyes that makes Davey’s heart ache a little for her.)

Davey is happy. She’s surrounded with some of her favorite people, sitting as close to Jack as she dares – a boundary they’re constantly pushing, since when they’re with the boys they’re usually draped all over each other, so they spend evenings in the Jacobs house creeping closer and closer until Mama shoots them a disapproving look. Jack is holding her hand, idly tracing the shadows of her veins with the fingers of her other hand. There will be no quiet moments of privacy for them tonight, because even if Davey steps out the door to kiss Jack goodbye Race will be there, but Davey doesn’t mind.

She’ll take the compromises – she’ll wear the skirts, she’ll sneak around, she’ll accept the danger, she’ll lie to her parents – to have Jack. They’ve got vague plans to marry eventually, banking on the fact most people know Jack as a man like they always do, and in their own home someday they can let the pretense drop. In the meantime she just revels in the fact that now, right now, they are getting away with this. That she has this beautiful, amazing woman beside her who she _loves_ , who got hurt walking home from here yesterday and still came back.

“’cha thinkin’ about, Davey?” Jack asks softly. She’s looking at Davey in that sweet, slightly awestruck way she sometimes does like she can’t believe what she’s seeing.

Davey shrugs, smiling. “Always you, Jack.”

“That so?” says Jack. She leans close and steals a very quick kiss. “Right back at’cha, darlin’.”

Race snorts from the floor. “Lord, you two are _sappy_.”

“Who asked you?” Jack says, laughing. Davey throws a pillow at him, which he deflects toward Les, which just devolves into Jack and Davey getting pulled into the fray on the floor.

Once that’s resolved, and Davey has picked herself up off the floor after laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe, it’s time for Jack and Race to go. She walks them to the door, unable to let Jack go without _something._

“Get home safe,” she says, stepping just out the door with them.

“I’ll do my best,” Jack replies. “S’why _he’s_ here in the first place, innit?”

Race nods firmly. “G’night, Daves. See ya tomorrow.”

“Night, Race,” replies Davey. Race takes a step away from her and Jack, turning his head in an obvious attempt to give them a sliver of privacy.

Jack takes full advantage of the moment to give Davey a slow, sweet kiss. When they part, she rests her forehead against Davey’s for another moment. “Good night, Davey. See you.”

“Good night, Jack.”

Davey doesn’t go back inside until Jack and Race are out of sight down the stairs, and when she does she can’t keep a smile off her face.


End file.
